i should be getting my 18s soon so ill post my feedback later on lol

 

18's on the red FD in the front, 17's on the next red FD.

 

I've owned virtually every 17 or 18" combo, and there is always compromise in anything depending on use. You can't get one combo thats the "best" for every occasion.

Do 18" wheels mean a compromise in straight-line traction or ride quality? Not necessarily. If you put 30-series tires on them, probably a bit on both counts. If you run a 35-series combo, I don't believe so, allowing for variations in tire brands.

Are 17" wheels lighter? Not necessarily. My 18x10" BBS is lighter than my 17x9" SSR integral. But, nothing is as light as my 17x9.5 SSR comps. However, the 275/40/17 tires on both of my 17" SSR's are heavier than the 275/35/18 on my BBS.

What's better for track use? Tough one. The "in" combo for tracking is 18x10 w/ 285/30 all around. I've got 275/40 all around on 17x9.5's. There's definately a clearance issue up front... so my combo is lighter and cheaper and handles great, but a little less convenient. I'd say that since ride and launch traction are not issues here, that 18 gets the nod on overall performance if you can afford them.

Finally, With 18" wheels becoming the standard, you are starting to get more choices with regartd to models, aspects, and widths with 18" wheels... both for street and track. Generally speaking, you can get wider widths with more aspect choices with 18, and you can actually get more clearance with 18" wheels to fit around trailing arms, etc.

On ballance, i'd say 18" are better. However, for the thread starter who wants to drag race... maybe 17's are better if your only going to have one set.

 

17 are better for the street and overall ride enjoyment in my opinion. tire sidewall height and stiffness makes a huge impact also.

 

after seeing those pics, 18s look soooo much better on the fd imo.

 

It really depends on the rim (and the suspension setup). Some 18's will make the car look like it has "dubs" or "bigfoot" wheels. Others won't.

 

My 18's look kinda big from a distance but look really good close up...

 

I think the 17/18 comparison pic exaggerates the difference, too, since the car with 17s is further away from the camera.

-Max

 

Yes, I agree as well.

Here's a closer pic of the 17's:



They fill up the fenderwell nicely, IMO.

 

Honestly, I liked the looks of my 17" fikse's from 3/4 angles and such (like the photo above), but from profile, they just looked too small. I think the only time 18's look funny is if the car isn't lowered, and/or the tires are super-low profile. Both accentuate the "dub" look.

Done right, they look way better than 17's.

 

Better pic....